Just Do Art!

WESTBETH MUSIC FESTVIAL PRESENTS: “DYNAMIC DUOS”
You don’t have to wait until September 21-23’s annual Westbeth Music Festival to see, and hear, some of the talented and prolific souls who populate that affordable artist’s housing facility. Curated by Eve Zanni, the “First Fridays” concert series is presenting “Dynamic Duos” — an evening of musical duets by some of the most versatile and soulful musicians living in and associated with Westbeth (specifically, Michael Moss on clarinet and flute; guitarist Billy Stein; vocalist Louis Colon and pianist Rom Ferri; pianist Seiko Akita and tenor saxophonist Mike McGuiness; and vocalist Eve Zanni, accompanied by bassist Ed Schuller).

Installation view of works by David Ording, in “People Who Work Here” (curated by Rawson Projects). At David Zwirner, New York.

DAVID ZWIRNER GALLERY: “PEOPLE WHO WORK HERE”
If you’ve ever visited David Zwirner Gallery and had a particularly impassioned and informed conversation with the staff, this exhibition provides some insight as to why that kind of thing seems to happen with such regularity.

“People Who Work Here” delivers on the promise of its title by showcasing the work of, well, people who work at David Zwirner Gallery. Curated by the co-directors of Brooklyn-based contemporary art gallery Rawson Projects (yes, James Morrill and Chris Rawson also work at David Zwirner), the show functions as a bridge between the Brooklyn and Manhattan art worlds, as well as the spheres inhabited by emerging and established artists (“People” runs concurrently with a program in the gallery’s 525 and 533 W. 19th St. spaces featuring 40 internationally acclaimed artists).

At 519 W. 25th St., however, you’ll see painting, drawing, sculpture and installation from those who aren’t (yet) household names in Switzerland or Sunnyside. Many of the pieces address aspects of abstraction, such as Justin Davis Anderson’s hand-painted Polaroids and paintings from Sam Martineau that evoke the aesthetic sensibilities of mid-century American graphic design. Other works reference art history, with Cy Amundson’s exploration of figurative painting and David Ording’s use of oil painting to reinterpret canonical portraiture. Justin Phillipson’s use of video compression disengages his source material by distorting the original image in some way, while a video installation by Aengus Woods (in collaboration with John Holten) shines some light on a “purportedly little-known” Eastern European avant-garde art group. Sculptural work is represented by artists including Clive Murphy, who explores the prescribed utility of found objects.

“People Who Work Here” can be seen through Aug 10, at 519 W. 19th St., btw. 10th & 11th Aves). For more info, visit davidzwirner.com.

Come for the live comedy, stay for the Choco Taco: CollegeHumor takes its online act on the road.

COLLEGE HUMOR OFFLINE
The web’s longest-running comedy website — CollegeHumor.com — brings its irreverent and youthful sensibilities into the three dimensional world for one night only…plus, there’s free ice cream! “CollegeHumor Offline” will be hosted by comedian (and CollegeHumor Editor-in Chief) Streeter Seidell, and will feature stand-up and sketch comedy performed by the CollegeHumor cast, along with fan favorites Jake & Amir. Plus, everyone in the crowd will receive a Choco Taco (courtesy of the fine folks from Klondike). Humor may be subjective, but who doesn’t love a frosty treat that looks like food but tastes like dessert? If it’s you, simply give the snack to your neighbor and continue to enjoy the show.

A right proper pickle: On August 2, Tenement Talks guest Sandor Katz rhapsodizes about fermented foods. Photo by Sean Mintah

TENEMENT TALKS: THREE FOOD-THEMED HAPPENINGS
Part history lesson, part lecture, part author meet and greet: The Lower East Side Tenement Museum’s Tenement Talks series consistently informs and engages by shining a light on famous, infamous and forgotten aspects of New York City culture. Gangsters, poets, pugilists and vanishing storefront shops are among our favorite past topics — but the series is at its mind-feeding best when food is on its plate (which is often; check out their website to listen to all 75 minutes of June 19’s “Behind the Scenes: Goldie Lustgarten’s Kosher Butcher Shop and the Riot of 1902”).

Committed foodies and armchair epicureans are in for a treat (and maybe a nosh?) when they attend three upcoming talks — which take place at the Tenement Museum Visitor Center and Museum Shop (103 Orchard St., SW corner of Delancey St.). Seating is first-come, first-served. For tickets, call 877-975-3786 or visit tenement.org. For info, call 212-982-8420.

“FERMENTED NEW YORK”
Scholar and self-proclaimed “fermentation revivalist” Sandor Katz rhapsodizes about the 7,000+ year-old tradition that gives some added character to bread, coffee, pickles, beer, cheese, yogurt and…more. In addition to citing facts, figures and anecdotes from his book “The Art of Fermentation: An In-Depth Exploration of Essential Concepts and Processes from Around the World,” Katz will delve into all aspects of New York’s own unique pickling traditions — then conclude with a home pickling workshop and tasting. Thurs., Aug. 2 at 6:30pm. Admission is $25 ($45 with purchase of the book).

“YES, CHEF: A MEMOIR”
With flavor and verve, Marcus Samuelsson’s book documents how an adopted Ethiopian boy growing up in Sweden went from the weekly Saturday ritual of helping his grandmother prepare a roast chicken to the relentless routine of life as a world-renowned chef. Visit marcussamuelsson.com for the skinny on the man behind Harlem’s Red Rooster restaurant, who learned to embrace everything from meatballs and ginger snaps to soccer and spices — or attend his Tenement Talk and ask him yourself. Thurs., Aug. 9 at 6:30pm. Admission is free.

“TORRISI ITALIAN SPECIALTIES: TASTE AND TALK”
Rich Torrisi and Mario Carbone — the chefs and owners of Mulberry Street’s Torrisi Italian Specialties — are the guests. James Beard House VP Mitchell Davis is the moderator. Together, they seek to answer the question of what it means to cook “Italian” in today’s New York. Spoiler alert: It has something to do with the immigrant groups and cuisines historically concentrated in Chinatown, the Lower East Side and Little Italy. Tues., Aug. 21 at 6:30pm. Admission is $15. For more info on Torrisi Italian Specialties, visit torrisinyc.com.

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